This proposal is a resubmission requesting continuing support for the Cellular, Biochemical, and Molecular Sciences (CBMS) training program at Vanderbilt University. Over the 15 years of the CBMS training program at Vanderbilt and continuing with the 5-year period preceding this competitive renewal, we have been remarkably successful recruiting excellent students, particularly students from groups underrepresented in science. Extensive institutional support and commitment along with a number of administrative and programmatic initiatives over the past years have contributed to this success and bode well for continuing success. Overall, the CBMS training program encompasses a group of ~80 faculty from biomedical research departments and programs at Vanderbilt that has trained 70 students including 9 current trainees. High caliber trainees are recruited as part of the Vanderbilt Interdisciplinary Graduate Program (IGP) and undergo broad didactic interdisciplinary training in CBMS target areas, rigorous elective courses for specialized training, a weekly journal club meeting, weekly mentoring and training sessions, an annual research retreat, continuing training in Responsible Conduct in Research and, most importantly, in depth, laboratory research experience. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The trainees participating in the CBMS training program are engaged in a number of NIH-supported projects whose overall goals address the cellular, biochemical and molecular mechanisms of disease.